Queen City Knights Redux

[Syberdwarf2]

Allrighty, fellow Herophiles. The 'Queen City Knights' campaign officially started this week. I would like to thank everyone that offered their time, advice and suggestions.

 

In appreciation, I thought you might like to know how things are going. So, I've decided to describe the campaign as it unfolds.

 

Note: QCK is set in a slightly altered CU where magic doesn't exist. Mutants are the prefered origin source, but aliens are accepted as well.

 

The current roster of characters is as follows:

 

Titan - (aka Hank Sanders). Powered Armored Brick. CEO, owner and founder of Muratech, a locally based multinational conglomerate that specializes in such things as surveillance tech and military R&D.

 

Matrix - (aka Carlton Smith). Energy Manipulator. computer science teacher at a local school for the "GIFTed" . In hero ID, his body appears as a shimmering black translucent humanoid with "'the Matrix' symbols" cascading down through his body.

 

All PCs are instructed to be built on 350 points. No optional rules are used, as none of us have played in years, and it is my first attempt to GM HERO. (This will change).

 

Also, mutants have been around for a very long time, but only recently have they come into public knowledge. They get treated like Elvis, Nostradamus, and Batboy.... fodder for the tabloids. Mutant population levels are on the rise at an alarming rate (a newly diagnosed 'case' occurs every 3 minutes.)....

 

Stay tuned for the recap of Episode 1: "First Strike"

[Syberdwarf2]

Episode 1: First Strike

 

Real Time: 3 Sept 2003, 12:00 p.m.

Game Time: 1 August 2003, 7:00 a.m.

 

Mr Sanders (Titan) receives a letter from the city council asking if he would like to contribute to/buy advertising space for the new Uptown Arena. The stock market is down, as is joblessness, but the number of people moving to the area is sharply rising due to the stable economy provided by companies that are relocating there.

 

Sanders decides to meet with the city council at the uptown Government Center to discuss advertising space in a meeting between the mayor, council and other local leaders.

 

Carlton is preparing for a class later that morning where they'll be discussing web development. Having finished his lesson plan, he decides to check out the local police blotters from the previous night. He finds what he's looking for; a report of domesic violence, with the subject still at large. Carlton (Matrix) fails his roll against Enraged, and 'cyberports' into the local phone system to where the police-band scanner says officers are on route to serve a warrant to a Mr. Mitch Greene. He rematerializes at a parking deck below the Bank of America Tower near the C.A.T.S. (Charlotte Area Transit System) main terminal.

 

Both characters had checked the news and/or morning paper and read/heard of ;

1) The city will hold a commencement ceremony for three new bus routes going to disadvantaged neighborhoods.

2) Mayor Pat McCrory will be attending a groundbreaking ceremony at the future site of the uptown arena, (next to the CATS terminal.

 

Matrix decides to find the home of the suspect in question, and does a recheck of the police band. After locating Mr Greene's home in the University Area, he attempts to locate a nearby car as well as inspect the home's alarm system.

 

 

Unfortunately, that's it for now. I'll be posting more of the story later today, after I return from my appointments.

[Syberdwarf2]

On with the story...

 

Mr. Sanders arrives at the government center, and is asked to wait in the lobby for his liason, one Mr. Mitch Greene, who is in attendance at the commencment ceremony up the street with the mayor. The receptionist informs him that "He'll be along in about 15 minutes, after the dedication".

Politely, Hank waits in the lobby. After a few minutes he hears sirens. Lots of sirens... and a SWAT van. He steps outside to see that there's some sort of disturbance at the bus terminal.

 

Hank rushes to the parking deck, opens the trunk and dons the Titan suit.

Matrix, meanwhile is still in the University Area. After locating the nearest car ( a 2000 Lexus), he uses his clairsentience/retrocognition to see what went on the night before.

 

The businessman came home, arguing with his wife, and very drunk. There was shoving by both, but the man was too much for her, knocking her unconcious against a wall. The man left in a drunken fit, storming out of the home. Mere moments later, as the woman began to stir, a figure dressed in blackbroke into the home and sexually assaulted and murdered the woman.

 

The only other thing that could be seen by Matrix was a tattoo of a red cross in a red circle. He recognizes this as (potentially) a symobl used by the KKK and similar groups.

((Just for clarification; Matrix was not aware of the identity of the man who performed the assault or the other crimes. He is aware however, that the men he saw were not the same.)) He monitors the Police band again. It seems that a hostage situation has developed at the bus terminal.

 

(fade to black)

At this point, Matrix cyberteleports again back to the parking deck below street level. Titan is leaving the parking deck (above ground) and is heading to the site of the disturbance. Both are monitoring the police band.

 

(This is what they learn);

Hostages have been taken by a group of men in strange outfits. They're demanding fifty million dollars be wired to a swiss bank account by 5 PM that day or else they will blow up the terminal, and the busses that have departed. Only the 3 new busses were allowed to leave, albeit with deadman switched bombs attached to both their engines and gas tanks.

The only white people still held hostage were those on the busses. Also, the local NAACP chairman is on the bus bound for the lower income section of the University Area.

 

Titan and Matrix arrive at opposite sides of the building. They're unable to see each other but they both identify the assailants as Pulsar and Anklyosaur.

 

To be continued...

 

(the rest of the story thus far should posted tonight)

[Syberdwarf2]

Matrix lets into Anklyosaur with his cyberkinesis, holding him immobile. Pulsar runs into EB range, focusing on Matrix. Titan flies toward him while he's not looking, trying to get close enough to use his Aikido.

 

Meanwhile, once Pulsar is in range, he fires at Matrix, missing him completely, but tearing up a good chunk of the Government Center with the remainder of the blast. Seeing the threat from Pulsar, Matrix takes Anklyosaur with a VERY well placed EB shot, and knocks the villain unconcious. This of course drops the required concentration on Anklyosaur.

 

Titan throws a punch at Pulsar, (2many d6 ) but barely get through Pulsar's Force Field. The battle comes to a stand still after Matrix uses his next action to ahit Pulsar with a Flash, and then notices that Anklyosaur is up, awake and about to fire....

 

Just as the shot is about to be fired and finish Matrix off, Anklyosaur puts his arm to the side of his head as if using a radio, looks back at Our Heroes, and says;

 

"Stop now, or the busses AND the terminal will be destroyed in 3... 2..."

 

Matrix backed off, as did Titan. They left the scene to regroup and try to get their bearings on the situation. To make a long story short, they closest thing they have to a plan is to get the busses under a bridge or similar structure to block cell phone signals. Apparently, as they have reasoned out, the signal is coming from a comsat, but the carrier wave has a cell phone signature.

 

Also, any attempt to interfere, disrupt, or clip the wires will detonate the bombs. They have a radio receiver, so they're remote controlled, but they have no idea who holds the button, or where he/she/it is located. They only have a few hours remaining before the deadline, or the hostages will be killed, as will the terminal.

 

Titan makes a call.....

 

"Muriel?"

"Yes sir?"

"Make out a check to the city of Charlotte for Fifty Million Dollars"

 

[silence]

 

"Anything else sir?"

 

[End of Session] 30 Sept 2003 4:30 pm (RT)

 

The next session will hopefully be next week.

 

What will our Heroes do?!?!

Can the Bombs be stopped?!?!

and Just who IS the one pulling the strings?!?!

[Syberdwarf2]

keeping in touch...

 

My apologies to those of you that have been following along. We had hit a bit of a snag when "real life" bit us in the hindparts what with the economic slowdown and all.

Now that the situation has stabalized, everything is back on track. I expect the game to resume this week.

 

Until then, if there are any questions, I would be more than glad to answer them. Don't worry about spoilers, I only have (as yet) two players, and we all adhere to a strict honor code. So.......

 

Ask away.

[Syberdwarf2]

First Strike, conclusion

 

Real Time: Wednesday, October 15 2003; 4:00 pm

Game Time: August 1 2003; 2:30 pm

 

Recap: After a short fight to a relative standstill with Anklyosaur and Pulsar, Our Heroes attempt to stop the bombs which are very near their intended destinations. (GMs note: The session was wrapped up pretty quickly but with as little handwaving as possible).

 

Matrix continues his investigation of the Klan tatoo on the man of the assailant from University area, thinking (correctly) that the incident at the bus station would be connected somehow. After succeeding in his Deduction roll, Matrix does an internet search for a group called "White Front". The cearch leads him to the discussion boards of a website sponsored by the KKK. Although it is a 'secured' site, he has little problem hacking in. (or does he?..... mwahahaha.... anyway...) After double checking the security videos from the busses on-board cameras, Titan realizes that there are a few white people with long sleeves and or buisiness suits on. All of those dressed thus are caucasian. Matrix, seeing them all on cell-phones, puts two and two together.

 

What do villains always do in the movies? What do real-life terrorists and mass murderers with a megalomaniacal streak do? They tell their plan to everyone, sort of. Matrix deduces that many terrorists and killers, at least today, are looking for 'camera time'. They want to let others know how to stop them, knowing that they probably won't figure out where to look until it's too late.

 

After logging onto WhiteFront.com, Matrix sees a post by a person named, "originally" enough, Klansman. In it, he sees a detailed plan that is identical to the events occuring in their presence down to the destinations of the busses and how the bombs are wired. Klansman taunts the law enforcment ( the 'sympathizers') by posting that all they have to do is turn off his cell phone. Klansman goes on to say that if they don't get the money, he'll blow up the busses. He adds that even when he gets the money, that he'll blow the [expletive deleted] straight to Kingdom Come.

 

Our Heroes also find, through a search of klansmen that aren't afraid to show their faces, especially in group photos, that one of the men on the bus, matches on of the men in the group shots. (This was a time consuming process).

 

To make matters worse, the city of charlotte was unable to stop the transfer to the designated swiss bank account. In a stroke of luck, however, the police did manage to shut down the cell phone grid (with the help of federal agents). They contacted the police about what was going on, and what they had found. Police were instructed not to let anyone leave until the white passengers had all been detained and their cell phones confiscated. Bomb squads were dispatched since with the possibility of detonation by cell-phone removed, they at least had a chance.

 

Thinking that they have bought time, Our Heroes begin heading downstairs to mop up the villains at the terminal. As they head downstairs, they both pick up police band radio describing the scene at the university bus stop...

 

"Roger, Baker-Three-Two. Suspects are in custody and being held against the side of the vehicle while the squad tries to disarm. The.... what the [censored]... Wait!?!?! They've just thrown the officers to the side and put on what looks like motorcycle helmets. Something's coming out of the bus.... Sir' you wont beleive this, but they've ALL been picked up and flown away by... by... something. Sir, they've... (long pause) What the hells is that beeping? Oh no, it's....."

 

and the transmission ended in static.

 

Once the heroes get to the outside, Anklyosaur and Pulsar have flown the coop, and the next thing they hear are three booms a few seconds apart. One from the north. One from the east. One from the south.

 

Luckily, all of the legitimate passengers escaped. The white 'passengers' , however, were led out by what looked like a man made of pure smoke that flew off. (Several people in the area claim to have seen the same thing from each of the sites).

 

Unfortunately, all of the police officers on duty were killed in the explosions.

 

The suspects were last seen flying southwest.

 

[End Episode 1:First Strike]

 

Comments? Questions?